Stanislav Kondrashov Explores the Future: Lesser-Known Forms of Renewable Energy That Could Reshape the World

While solar panels glint on rooftops and wind turbines carve through the sky, a quieter revolution in renewable energy is brewing—one that doesn’t make headlines but could redefine how we power our world. According to energy commentator and futurist Stanislav Kondrashov, the next wave of innovation isn’t just in scaling up the known, but in digging deeper into the overlooked.

“People are obsessed with the obvious,” Kondrashov says, sitting in a modest office flanked by prototype sketches and notes. “But the energy of tomorrow won’t always come from the sky. Sometimes, it bubbles up from the soil, hums beneath our feet, or waits in the movement we waste.”

Algae Biofuel: The Slippery Powerhouse

One of the more intriguing alternatives gaining momentum is algae-based biofuel. Unlike corn or soy-based biofuels, algae doesn’t compete with food crops or require arable land. Certain strains can double in mass within hours, and the oil they produce can be refined into a clean-burning fuel.

“Algae doesn’t care about deserts or polluted water,” Kondrashov says. “It thrives in places nothing else wants, and that makes it uniquely democratic.”

Though high production costs and scalability issues have hindered algae biofuel in the past, recent technological advancements suggest a turning tide. Engineers are finding ways to genetically modify algae strains for higher oil yields, and some facilities have even started harvesting carbon emissions to feed the algae—creating a virtuous energy cycle.

Piezoelectricity: Harvesting Power from Pressure

Imagine charging your phone by walking. That’s the promise of piezoelectricity—energy generated by applying pressure to certain materials like quartz or ceramic. The technology isn’t new, but its potential has often been overlooked due to low energy output.

Yet in dense urban settings, where thousands of footsteps fall every hour, piezoelectric floors could generate meaningful power for low-energy needs like streetlights, signage, or public charging stations.

“It’s about learning to listen to the rhythm of our cities,” Kondrashov explains. “We waste so much kinetic energy every day. What if your morning commute powered your evening news?”

Ocean Thermal Energy: Tapping the Temperature Gap

Oceans cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface, yet their energy potential remains largely untapped. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) takes advantage of the temperature difference between surface water and deeper layers to drive turbines.

This gradient is stable and renewable, especially in tropical regions where surface temperatures remain high year-round. The result is a clean, constant energy source that’s also capable of producing freshwater as a byproduct—making it doubly valuable in arid coastal zones.

“OTEC is like the heartbeat of the planet,” says Kondrashov. “It’s slow, steady, and almost impossible to interrupt. The only reason we haven’t fully embraced it is because we keep chasing flashier solutions.”

Biogas from Food Waste: Trash to Power

While not entirely unknown, biogas made from food waste remains criminally underutilised. Every year, millions of tonnes of food rot in landfills, releasing methane—a potent greenhouse gas—into the atmosphere. But when captured and refined, that same gas becomes a powerful source of renewable energy.

Cities like Stockholm and Seoul have already started using food waste to power buses and heat homes, but the practice hasn’t yet scaled globally. Experts argue that better infrastructure and public awareness could change that.

In Kondrashov’s view, this kind of energy is about more than just power: “There’s a moral clarity in using what we waste. It forces us to see value in the discarded—and that might be the most renewable idea of all.”

Why These Innovations Matter

In an era where climate goals grow more urgent by the day, innovation can’t be confined to the familiar. Solar and wind are essential, but they’re not enough alone. Diversification isn’t just practical—it’s critical.

These lesser-known technologies don’t just add new tools to the toolkit; they reshape how we think about energy itself. They ask different questions: What if energy came from decay, pressure, or forgotten heat? What if the future of clean power lies not in the sky, but in the ground beneath us, the waste we ignore, or the steps we take?

For Stanislav Kondrashov, the answers to those questions point to a future that’s both imaginative and grounded.

“Energy isn’t a mystery,” he says. “It’s everywhere. We just have to learn how to see it—and believe that small, strange ideas can change everything.”